Hatton Parkway is another project layout. This time, for a change, it is 'N' and contemporary operations. The idea is to move on from the 'Shake-the-Box' style layout and use flexible track, some kit-built structures and more advanced electrics. The thread on the old forum can be found here.

The layout was originally named Kingsbury Parkway. Kingsbury is situated just outside the West Midlands conurbation, not too far from Tamworth. By amending history a little it could serve as a suitable location for a park and ride service into Birmingham (instead of the real one at Coleshill). However I have amended the location (for reasons that may, or may not, be revealed later ) to Hatton on the old GW line between Leamington Spa and Birmingham Moor Street/Snow Hill.

This is the trackplan, to help make sense of the photos.

The scenic treatment has changed a bit with respect to the car park and industrial estate area.

The fiddle yard has two 'clockwise' roads (top), two ;anti-clockwise roads (bottom) and two bi-directional roads (middle) for multiple units. The bi-directional roads are both split in two electrically as are one of each of the clockwise and anti-clockwise roads giving a maximum capacity of 10 trains.

Park and ride DMUs (one or two 2-car sets) will run from a centre road anti-clockwise, over the crossover and into the bay. In the bay it will be possible to add or remove a 2-car set for stabling in the headshunt. Return to Birmingham will be from the bay, clockwise to a centre road.

Other passenger services, DMU & Voyager will run both clockwise and anti-clockwise from the centre roads round the layout, stopping or not at the mainline platforms.

Freight services will be run by fixed rakes which will run either clockwise, from the top roads, or anti-clockwise from the bottom roads.

The layout is 9'x2' and the grid squares are 6".

Town planning in progress - the buildings are all from Hornby's Lyddle End range.

This is the bridge that will go over the station providing a scenic break. It is a Scalescenes kit.